10 Times Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton Got Real About Parenting

Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton are the proud parents of Prince George and Princess Charlotte, with a third little royal on the way. They've learned a lot since welcoming their firstborn in 2013, and they've shared a lot, too — about the joys and challenges of parenthood, their hopes and fears for their children, and the importance of asking for help. Read on for some of their most honest, relatable quotes about having kids. (Photos via Scott Heavey/Getty Images + Chris Jackson/Pool/Getty Images)

Kate, on becoming a parent for the first time: When Duchess Kate welcomed her first child, Prince George, in July 2013, she told reporters outside St. Mary's Hospital that becoming a parent was "very emotional" for her. "It's such a special time," she said. "I think any parent will know what this feeling feels like." (Photo via Scott Heavey/Getty Images)

William, on how parenting changed him: "I'm a lot more emotional than I used to be, weirdly," the prince said in a BBC documentary in 2016. "I never used to get too wound up or worried about things. But now the smallest little things, you well up a little more, you get affected by the sort of things that happen around the world or whatever a lot more, I think, as a father. … [It's] just because you realize how precious life is and it puts it all in perspective. The idea of not being around to see your children grow up and stuff like that." (Photo via Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

William, on parental separation anxiety: "This is actually our first evening out without [Prince George]," he said at the Tusk Conservation Awards in 2013, "so please excuse us if you see us nervously casting surreptitious glances at our mobile phones to check all is well back home." (Photo via Chris Jackson/Pool/Getty Images)

Kate, on the importance of community: "As a mother just getting used to leaving my own child at the school gates, it is clear to me that It takes a whole community to help raise a child," she said in a speech at Place2Be School Leaders Forum in 2017. "Whether we are school leaders, teachers, support staff, or parents — we're all in this together. We are all working to give children the emotional strength they need to face their futures and thrive." (Photo via Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Kate, on seeking support from other parents: During an April 2017 visit to a technical school in London, where she spoke with two young women who were working on an app to connect new parents, the duchess spoke about the importance of asking for help and sharing your feelings. "It is lonely at times and you do feel quite isolated, but actually so many other mothers are going through exactly what you are going through," she told the women. "It is being brave enough, like you obviously were, to reach out to those around you." (Photo via Chris Jackson/Pool/Getty Images)

William, on his hopes for his kids' emotional and mental health: "Catherine and I are clear that we want both George and Charlotte to grow up feeling able to talk about their emotions and feelings," he said in an interview with CALMzine in 2017. "Over the past year we have visited a number of schools together where we have been amazed listening to children talk about some quite difficult subjects in a clear and emotionally articulate way, something most adults would struggle with. Seeing this has really given me hope that things are changing and that there is a generation coming up who find it normal to talk openly about emotions." (Photo via Dominic Lipinski/Pool/Getty Images)

Kate, on why parents need to take care of their own mental health: "Personally, becoming a mother has been such a rewarding and wonderful experience. However, at times, it's also been a huge challenge — even for me, who has support at home that most mothers do not," she said at the launch of Maternal Mental Health Films at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. "Nothing can really prepare you for the sheer overwhelming experience of what it means to become a mother. It is full of complex emotions of joy, exhaustion, love, and worry, all mixed together. Your fundamental identity changes overnight. You go from thinking of yourself as primarily an individual, to suddenly being a mother, first and foremost."
"And yet there is no rule book, no right or wrong - you just have to make it up and do the very best you can to care for your family. For many mothers, myself included, this can at times lead to lack of confidence and feelings of ignorance. … It's right to talk about motherhood as a wonderful thing, but we also need to talk about its stresses and strains," she continued. "It's okay not to find it easy. Asking for help should not be seen as a sign of weakness." (Photo via Government House NZ via Getty Images)

Kate, on the lessons she hopes to impart to her kids: "My parents taught me about the importance of qualities like kindness, respect, and honesty, and I realize how central values like these have been to me throughout my life," she said on a visit to Mitchell Brook Primary School in February 2017. "That is why William and I want to teach our little children, George and Charlotte, just how important these things are as they grow up." (Photo via Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

William, on trying to keep up with his kids: "No broken bones yet, but they're trying," he joked with reporters at a rugby match in Wales in February 2016. "[They're] running around, pushing things, jumping. Please tell me it gets easier!" (Photo via Chris Jackson/Pool/Getty Images)

William, on looking ahead to the future: "Charlotte is very easy, very sweet, but all the fathers say, 'Just you wait, when you get to 9, 10, 11, they go crazy,'" he quipped at a reception hosted by the Welsh Rugby Charitable Trust at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. "I'm looking forward to it, there will be some drama." (Photo via Chris Jackson/Pool/Getty Images)

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Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton are the proud parents of Prince George and Princess Charlotte, with a third little royal on the way. They've learned a lot since welcoming their firstborn in 2013, and they've shared a lot, too — about the joys and challenges of parenthood, their hopes and fears for their children, and the importance of asking for help. Read on for some of their most honest, relatable quotes about having kids. (Photos via Scott Heavey/Getty Images + Chris Jackson/Pool/Getty Images)

Desirée O is a ‘Professional Bohemian’ who loves anything and everything related to the arts, entertainment, and pop culture. She ADORES being a ‘Newsy’ for Brit + Co, covering all of the latest tidbits of awesomeness that you want to read about. When she’s not writing, she’s either making messy art, going on long adventurous walks with her camera, or poking around over at bohemianizm (http://www.bohemianizm.com/). You can find out about Desirée O and her work at http://DesireeO.com/ or follow her on Twitter @DesireeO.